Orange and yellow accents distinguish the building’s north and west sides, respectively.

1 of 1

Get the link to this image:

studio e architects, san diego

Michael Graves may design toasters, but Studio E Architects is right on his heels. The firm has designed what it refers to as a “toaster cover” for the parking garage at PETCO Park, the home of baseball's San Diego Padres. The cover will come in the form of an L-shaped multifamily building slated for completion this fall. “The garage, which we also designed, has two very elaborate facades,” says Eric Naslund, a Studio E principal and the project's architect. “The city redevelopment agency wanted to completely mask the other two sides.”

In response to varying site conditions, Naslund designed two very different unit types. The 24-foot-deep north end of the building features double-level stacked townhomes, a strategy that reduces the required amount of common circulation space. On the 60-foot-deep western facade, high-ceilinged lofts take advantage of ample sunlight and ballpark views. Storefront windows and corrugated metal siding complement the cast-in-place concrete structure, and ground-floor retail spaces enhance the project's lively connection to the street. “There's not one gratuitous plan gesture,” remarked a judge. “It yields a rich, dynamic facade.”